For the past few months, Vartan Avakian has been hopscotching around Lebanon to complete his installation A Sign For Things to Come, a neon work that essentially serves as the latest segment in his career trajectory. The piece can be surmised as one body of work divided into a series of installations.
Avakian’s creative focus is anchored in what he refers to as the “materiality of memory” – how materials, visible or not, can be deciphered and what that retrieved data may signify. Avakian describes A Sign For Things to Come as his own “fossilised artefact”. It will debut at the mother of all art fairs, Art Basel, from September 24 to 26, through the Lebanese-Armenian artist’s Beirut gallery, Marfa’.
Avakian’s hopscotching has been largely propelled by Lebanon’s chronic power cuts and fuel shortages, which, among countless other things, has hindered his pace of production. Thankfully, his father managed to secure him a “bag-sized” camping generator that is powered by 20 litres of fuel. This means he can keep a light on and power his phone and laptop, and keep his internet connected.
Among the areas Avakian has been frequenting are his home town, Byblos, where his family still live; his studio in Al Zarif district in Beirut; Marfa’ in the port area, the nearby Arab Image Foundation for which he serves as a board member; and Bourj Hammoud, the Lebanese capital’s Armenian neighbourhood, also one of the region’s most densely populated districts. It is in this area that Avakian worked on the neons for A Sign For Things to Come, something he says “is already a kind of fossil” because it traps neon gas in a tube.
“The thing about neon is that when it’s agitated, it glows. When it’s not agitated, it doesn’t mean there’s no neon in there. It just means it’s dormant. So, just because it doesn’t light up, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing in there.”
The concept of the unknown is the crux of his creative production: here is a material that is present in its invisibility. The artwork’s name, however, does have a rather suggestive and sinister ring to it, as though a warning is delicately laced within. There is some truth to this ominous messaging and Avakian intends for this work to serve as a note of caution, as well as a relic worthy of exploration able to function as a witness to its time.
One facet of A Sign For Things to Come is the language used in the neon signs – Avakian is deeply interested in the tension that languages can cause, citing the unfamiliarity of scripts such as Devanagari and Armenian, the latter found in abundance in Bourj Hammoud. “These signs were perceived as foreign and thus a potential threat to Arabs because they didn’t understand it,” says Avakian. “And the unknown triggers the imagination, and can cause fear.”
We are obsessed with leaving traces through artefacts or text to tell stories and mark our time
Vartan Avakian,
artist
Neon, he says, is slowly disappearing from contemporary life and offers an accurate reading of the socio-economic pulse. Avakian’s master’s in Architecture and Urban Culture from the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya and the Centre de Cultura Contemporania in Barcelona informed his understanding of signage and its symbolism. “Neon was always expensive, a sign of something, and reflective of access to resources,” he explains.
Shops in heavily populated areas such as Bourj Hammoud may advertise their services either handwritten or typed on A4 paper. Vinyl is a next step and neon is the optimum and ultimate statement. “You only invest in neon if your business is doing well and if you’re staying for four to five years,” he says. “With the economic crisis, people didn’t fix their neon signs and reverted to vinyl.”
There are countless ways to preserve stories and keep retelling them. Avakian chose neon for the many tales the gas can tell. “We are obsessed with leaving traces through artefacts or text to tell stories and mark our time,” he says, citing the Pazyryk Carpet, one of the oldest rugs from the fourth to third centuries BC, which he acknowledges is a fine indicator of that era’s carpet-making.
“There are secrets that the weavers didn’t know they were leaving in the carpet, like the analysis of the wool, which could indicate sheep diseases, and DNA study that could explain how and why they used certain dyes.”
His fascination with what unseen materials can tell stems from two very different things: his asthma-induced allergies and a childhood spent in the stunning archaeological wonder that is Byblos, a Unesco World Heritage Site with layers of remains that span centuries and eras.
“There was a sedimentation of histories all around us, so, for example, a neighbour was building their house and while digging up land, found a sarcophagus,” Avakian says.
The dust triggered his asthma, which, in turn, prompted him to wonder: what is dust? “Dust is not a material or element; it is made up of many particles left by humans, animals, fabrics and basically, time,” he explains. “Things are in a state of dust.”
For Marfa’s opening in 2015, Avakian presented Collapsing Clouds of Gas and Dust, a solo exhibition comprising crystals and photographs, which he made by collecting debris from sites including Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Barakat Building in Beirut and the Zamzam Well in Makkah.
“Monuments, like these locations from where I gathered dust, point to the act of remembering and are contingent on the movement of people,” he says. “We shed hair and skin as we go along, and I am proving the monumentality of these places.” In so doing, he creates new memorials.
You may be forgiven for assuming that Avakian’s works, A Sign For Things to Come included, are exhumations. They’re not. They’re merely one man’s guidance on how much evidence can be left.
“Part of what artists can do, aside from creating and generating, is point to traces,” he says. “And that is what I am after. So, rather than create new information, I try to expand the realm of the unknown to trigger imagination.”
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All you need to know about Formula E in Saudi Arabia
What The Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix
When Saturday
Where Diriyah in Saudi Arabia
What time Qualifying takes place from 11.50am UAE time through until the Super Pole session, which is due to end at 12.55pm. The race, which will last for 45 minutes, starts at 4.05pm.
Who is competing There are 22 drivers, from 11 teams, on the grid, with each vehicle run solely on electronic power.
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
FIGHT CARD
From 5.30pm in the following order:
Featherweight
Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Welterweight
Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
Catchweight 100kg
Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
Featherweight
James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
THE DEALS
Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m
Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m
Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m
Verstappen $55m x 3 = $165m
Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m
TOTAL $485m
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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POSSIBLE ENGLAND EURO 2020 SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson.
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Joe Gomez, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Ben Chilwell, Fabian Delph.
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Harry Winks, Jordan Henderson, Ross Barkley, Mason Mount, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Forwards: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Honeymoonish
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The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
